By Victor Kanayo
There was confusion in the camp of the Nigerian senior Women’s national team on Monday after players invited for the scheduled 2024 Paris Olympics qualifier refused to show up, two days to the first leg clash with Ethiopia.
Heritage Times HT reports that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) at the weekend hurriedly announced a list of players expected to prosecute the crucial qualifier.
However, as at the time of filling this report, only six out of 18 of the invited players have arrived Addis Ababa, venue of the match.
Experienced players including Asisat Oshoala, Michelle Alozie, Chiamaka Nnadozie, and several others, according to NFF were expected to arrive on Sunday, but till Monday evening, they had not reported.
NFF Confirmation
Confirming the dicey situation, NFF through its communication department said, “Already, Midfielder Esther Onyenezide, who impressed at last year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals in Costa Rica as Nigeria reached the quarter-finals, has been drafted to take the place of 2023 FIFA World Cup star Halimatu Ayinde in Nigeria’s squad for the crucial encounter.
“Midfielder Regina Otu, who missed the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Australia and New Zealand in the summer, and defender Osinachi Ohale who plays for Pachuca FC of Mexico, have been ruled out of the fixture.
“Another World Cup star, Christy Ucheibe, of Portuguese club SL Benfica, is also out of the encounter.”
On Sunday, a delegation of six home-based players and technical and backroom staff from Nigeria flew into Addis Ababa for Wednesday’s opening leg encounter at the Abebe Bekila Stadium.
Another Looming Non-Qualification To Olympics?
The Super Falcons as the Nigerian side are fondly known will host the second leg of the second-round fixture at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Tuesday, October 31, 2023.
The winner on aggregate will confront the winner of the fixture between Cameroon and Uganda.
The Indomitable Lionesses drew a bye, while Uganda overpowered Rwanda 4-3 on aggregate.
Ethiopia’s senior girls, nicknamed Lucy, defeated the senior women national team of Chad 10-0 in the first round of the series, played in the month of July.
The Ethiopians won the first lef 6-0 in Addis Ababa on July 13, before lashing their hosts 4-0 in N’Djamena five days later.
The Nigerian women team have missed out on two consecutive Olympics, both in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
Appointed Match Officials
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football has appointed Lamia Atman from Algeria as referee for Wednesday’s encounter, with her compatriots Asma Feriel Ouahab, Sara Kemmad and Ghada Mehat as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.
Angelique Tuyishime from Rwanda will serve as referee assessor while Tabitha Wambui Njoroge from Kenya will be in the role of match commissioner.
For Tuesday’s return leg in Abuja, Edoh Kindedji from Togo will be referee, with her compatriots Abra Sitsofe Agbedanou and Kossiwa Kayigan Awoutey as assistant referee 1 and assistant referee 2 respectively. Yacine Samassa from Mauritania will be in the role of fourth official.
Daloba Oulare from Guinea will be the referee assessor and Christine Ziga from Ghana will serve as match commissioner.
